MONTICELLO, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello women's basketball team defeated Upper Iowa University on Friday night for its first win of the 2019-20 season, 51-41. Head Coach Greg Long earned his first collegiate victory and guard Berniezha Tidwell tallied 14 points, seven steals and six rebounds.
 
The game turned out to be a low-scoring affair due to some solid defense by the Blossoms.
 
UAM forced the Peacocks to commit 22 total turnovers and the Blossoms totaled 14 steals.
 
In the first quarter, there were quite a few missed shots on both ends and UIU had a 12-9 lead until Brandashia Hargraves drilled a three to close out the quarter and tie it, 12-12.
 
As we entered the second quarter, the momentum was on the Blossoms side following the three, but it was still a back-and-forth affair. The game was tied at 16 apiece with a little over four minutes left in the half until freshman Kyiah Julian drained a three to put the Blossoms ahead, 19-16. The Blossoms and Peacocks would add a few more points before time expired on the half, and they would lead at the break, 26-22.
 
To start the second half, UIU hit a pair of shots including a three that gave them the lead, 27-26. At 7:54, Jessica Musgrave hit an easy lay-in to put UIU ahead by three and force a Blossoms timeout.
 
Mackenzie Tillman then hit a jumper following the timeout and Kayla Bradley would hit a two-pointer of her own a little later to reclaim the lead, 30-29.
 
The game would eventually have one more lead change and be tied at 34-34 with 1:16 left in the quarter, but UAM would answer with a big momentum swing to conclude the half. Tidwell got inside for a big bucket to give UAM a 36-34 advantage to end the third.
 
The fourth was all UAM as it never looked back from that lead change at the conclusion of the third quarter. UAM would outscore UIU 15-7 in the fourth and Tidwell would tally eight points of her own getting to the line a few times. She also had four of her seven steals in the final quarter, making it a fitting conclusion to the contest as the Blossoms would go on to win, 51-41.
 
UAM shot 31.6 percent from the floor and held UIU to shoot under 30.0 percent at 29.5.
 
Mekaylan Hicks also had a solid day barely missing out on a double-double tallying 11 rebounds and nine points.
 
UP NEXT
UAM will continue its Central Region Challenge on Saturday when it hosts Lincoln (MO) at the Steelman Field House. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.